The following is an AFP report: Independent US Senator Joseph Lieberman, an observant Jew, planned to walk to and from any vote on the economic stimulus plan that falls on the Jewish Sabbath, an aide said today.
Lieberman, who keeps kosher and attends orthodox synagogue in Washington and his home state of Connecticut, will not miss the vote, which was expected to come well after nightfall, said the aide.
“He has always made sure that, on a critical vote like this, if it falls on the Sabbath, he will vote. He will not miss it,” the aide, who requested anonymity.
The exact timing of the Senate vote was unclear, because it hinged in part on the return of Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown from a memorial service for his mother, but congressional aides pinned it at around 10 pm.
Lieberman, who reportedly does not write or ride the elevators at the capitol on the Sabbath, has walked to critical Senate sessions before, such as the 1999 impeachment trial of then-president Bill Clinton.
As Democratic White House hopeful Al Gore’s running mate in 2000 — and the first Jewish vice presidential candidate — Lieberman said he would perform official duties on the Sabbath but would not campaign.
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11 Responses
There’s nothing like a good vote nuch de cholent.
I never knew that Sen. Liberman was Shomer Shabbos!
Baruch Hashem!!
Wow, that’s great, good for him. מי כעמך ישראל
On a lighter side:
Kashrus is the issue.
Has he made sure the bill has no “pork”?
Or at least made sure the pork is Botul BeShishim? (pork less than 1/60 of the entire mixture)
For a $790 billion bill that means no more than $13 Billion of pork.
To Josh31: There is no Botul BeShishim with respect to the Stimulus Bill, since the halacha is clear that “EIN MEVATLIM ISSUR LKATCHILAH”
Josh31 – you’re the winner of the “Best Comment of the Week” award!
4. a 13.6% increase in PaySamech means millions into needy pockets of mishpachas who need it desparately, so this Shabbos vote will enhance the Shabbos table of many
What a Tzadik!
This Lieberman fellow is a strong advocate for “Abortion on Demand”[including “Partial Birth “Murder”] & “Toeiva” “Marriage”!!! He testified before the committee to keep Jonathan Pollard in prison for LIFE! He voted AGAINST school vouchers! He said on a public radio station that he has no problem with intermarriage R”L! He also said on that same program that he doesn’t say the Bracha of “Shelo Asani Esha” because it discriminates against women R”L!
This man is a walking talking CHILLUL HASHEM! R”L!
is the voting with a button a light or hands
It became muttar to work on Shabbos Kodesh as long as you walk to work?
To #5: Pelosi put the pork there in the first place. To her pork is fully permitted. In fact to her the pork was the Ikar (main ingredient) and the tax cuts the Tafel (secondary ingredient).
To #11: Which one of the 39 Melachas (prohibited categories of work on Shabbos) is a Senator’s oral vote? “Speaking before kings” on matters of great importance, and which can not be postponed is probably permitted on Shabbos.